The Orioles have been three outs away from being on the fallacious facet of baseball historical past, and by breaking apart Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen’s excellent recreation bid within the ninth inning of a 4-1 loss, there nonetheless have been few positives.
But inside a somber Orioles clubhouse at Tropicana Field, as gamers packed for a flight to Toronto and one other divisional collection in opposition to an American League wild-card contender, right-hander Jordan Lyles provided a vote of confidence that broke from the deflated air felt elsewhere.
“We’ve got everything we want in front of us, starting tomorrow,” Lyles mentioned. “I think we’re in a good spot. I think we’re very confident.”
Even after two straight losses in opposition to Tampa Bay? Losses that dropped Baltimore 1 1/2 video games out of the wild-card race? With a heavy dose of AL East competitors on the horizon?
“We can put our stamp on things moving forward,” Lyles mentioned. “We’re going to see a lot of guys in the division here shortly, so it’s up to us how we react and handle ourselves.”
Lyles, the veteran voice of motive in a clubhouse filled with inexperienced gamers — whether or not it’s these new to the league, new to successful or each — seemed round that room and felt assured. On a day govt vp and basic supervisor Mike Elias mentioned publicly that he believed Baltimore may attain the postseason, these contained in the clubhouse agreed.
The outcomes dampened their spirits, nevertheless it didn’t dampen their aspirations.
“It makes the game a lot more fun — you’re playing for something every single night,” outfielder Austin Hays mentioned. “Something that, at this point in the year last year, wasn’t even really a possibility. We were so far out of it.”
When the commerce deadline got here Aug. 2 and the Orioles despatched first baseman Trey Mancini to the Houston Astros and All-Star nearer Jorge López to the Minnesota Twins, it appeared as if Elias had waved the white flag on the season. At the time, Elias acknowledged how the Orioles may safe a wild-card spot.
“But it is not a probability that we’re going to win a wild card,” Elias famous, a significant component that performed into why Baltimore shipped away two of its greatest gamers. Elias valued successful subsequent season and past over attempting to take action this season, so he acquired six prospects with a watch on the long run.
After these trades, there was a dialogue within the clubhouse. They identified how López and Mancini won’t be there, however “our record hasn’t changed,” Hays mentioned.
“Just because we lost a couple guys,” Hays added, “we’re still here to win every single night, win every series, and we went to work.”
The Orioles are 8-4 since Mancini was traded to Houston, squarely within the hunt for a wild card spot for the primary time since their final playoff season in 2016. They misplaced this important collection to the Rays, who clinched the season collection in opposition to Baltimore.
On high of the Rays, the Seattle Mariners and Minnesota Twins additionally maintain the season collection benefit, which acts because the playoff tiebreaker this season. It solely complicates Baltimore’s postseason path.
But throughout an look Sunday morning on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM, Elias confirmed extra outward perception in what’s potential this season, even when he nonetheless preached the “big picture” strategy that has characterised the rebuild he began in November 2018 and has led the Orioles up to now, an above .500 file with probably the greatest farm programs within the sport.
“I think we’re going to get into the playoffs,” Elias mentioned. “I like where this is going. I think that this team has staying power for the next month and a half — we have a really tough schedule.”
Part of the massive image is analyzing when to advertise and how one can make the most of a number of of the highest prospects ready within the wings. Left-hander DL Hall began Saturday, gave up 5 runs in 3 2/3 innings and was promptly optioned again to Triple-A Norfolk to develop as a reliever. The plan, as of now, is to have Hall be a part of the bullpen throughout the stretch run towards the playoffs.
As shortstop Gunnar Henderson — Baseball America’s top-ranked prospect — continues to excel for the Tides, Elias mentioned he’s “on the radar screen” to hitch the massive league membership sooner or later within the subsequent month and a half.
“I think we’re going to, within reason, do everything we can to enhance our playoff odds,” Elias mentioned. “But obviously, at all times, we have to balance the overall health of the organization when we make decisions. And then we also have to balance the development of a luminary talent like that, and it would be a shame to screw that up.”
That’s all a part of the calculus for Elias and the Orioles, balancing the grasp plan with the quick prospect of pushing for the postseason.
But for the gamers within the clubhouse, there’s much less to stability. There’s one aim in sight, and it’s clearer than it has been in Baltimore for a while.
“You play to win,” Hays mentioned. “You play to win championships. You play to get to the postseason. That’s why we’re here. That’s the ultimate goal. To actually be in that position, that’s awesome. It’s what all of us want.”
What’s to come back?
The Orioles gained’t face the Rays once more this season, however they nonetheless have 4 collection in opposition to the Toronto Blue Jays, together with three video games starting Monday in Toronto. Should that collection in opposition to the AL wild-card leaders go awry, Baltimore may discover itself even additional out of the playoff hunt.
“We’ve fought for four and a half months, and we’ve put ourselves in position,” supervisor Brandon Hyde mentioned. “I’m proud of our guys for what they’ve been able to do so far. It’s a tough schedule the rest of the way. I think our guys are going to compete and try to win every night. I think we have as good a chance as anybody.”
What was good?
Shortstop Jorge Mateo broke up Rasmussen’s excellent recreation bid with a double down the left subject line, and he did a lot greater than that this week to construct on his breakout July and August. There haven’t been many constant hitters currently for Baltimore, however Mateo has rebounded to hit .309 since July 4.
That bodes nicely for the Orioles’ lineup, which might use Mateo’s velocity on the bases to create for its offense. In the ninth inning Sunday, for instance, Mateo took third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch.
What wasn’t?
The rotation has been stable for a lot of the season, however there’s one main subject: The starters can’t appear to finish six innings. Last week, no starter made it via six, and the final Oriole to finish six innings was right-hander Dean Kremer on Aug. 5 in a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The shorter outings add stress on a bullpen with out the dependable arm of López, who incessantly lined late-game conditions longer than an inning. Félix Bautista has inherited the nearer function, however shifting a setup man to the ninth inning has a ripple impact, and it may result in fatigue as Hyde is pressured to go to the identical arms extra incessantly.
On the farm
As Henderson approaches a serious league debut, he continues a robust season within the minors. The 21-year-old went 3-for-6 with a double, house run and three RBIs on Sunday to enhance his batting common to .293 and his OPS to .925 with the Tides.
“We’re watching him carefully and seeing how he might fit in,” Elias mentioned.
ORIOLES@BLUE JAYS
Monday, 7:07 p.m.
TV: MASN
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
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Source: www.bostonherald.com